Hundreds of thousands march in anti-Trump rallies
LOS ANGELES: Protesters took to the streets en masse across the United States on Saturday, hoisting anti-Donald Trump placards, banging drums and donning pink hats for a second Women’s March opposing the president — one year to the day of his inauguration.
Hundreds of thousands of marchers assembled in New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Denver, Boston, here and other cities nationwide, many donning the famous pink knit “pussy hats” — a reference to Trump’s videotaped boasts of his licence to grope women without repercussions.
Protestors hoisted signs emblazoned with slogans like “Fight like a girl”, “A woman’s place is in the White House” and “Elect a clown, expect a circus”.
The largest demonstrations were in cities where Trump performed poorly at the polls: the city mayor said estimated turnout here was 600,000, while New York police estimated about 200,000 protesters.
In Manhattan, a diverse crowd descended on Central Park West, the avenue that borders the city’s beloved park and arrives at the foot of the Trump International Hotel — part of the magnateturned-commander-in-chief ’s real estate empire.
“We live in an alternate universe, it is so bad.
“I see an erosion of democracy,” said Althea Fusco, 67, who travelled to the city from upstate New York with two neighbours.
Speakers at the New York rally included activist and actress Rosie Perez and entertainer Whoopi Goldberg, who emphasised that “we are here to say, as women, we’re not taking it anymore.”
Throngs of demonstrators paraded here, where actress Natalie Portman was among the celebrities pumping up the crowd: “Because of you the revolution is rolling.”
“The way Trump has treated women and still been elected — I want him to be aware that we are coming together as a powerful force and we’re going to change this,” said artist Heather Arndt, 44.
The marches aimed to build on the movement launched last year when more than three million people turned out nationwide to voice opposition to Trump.
The weekend of demonstrations was aimed at translating enthusiasm into political action with the theme “Power to the Polls” — a message designed to drive voter registrations and maximise women’s involvement in this year’s midterm elections.
The president, meanwhile, posted a deadpan tweet referencing the rallies protesting his policies, urging people to “get out there and celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months”.
“Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March,” he wrote. AFP